Cory
A male given name transferred from the surname, variant of Corey.
Every Cory since 1924 — 133,778 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Cory
Cory is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,245 in 2025 with 160 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1924, 133,778 American babies have been named Cory. Its peak came in 1989, when 6,660 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Cory stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Cory year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14 | #7,576 | 160 | #1,245 |
| 2024 | 16 | #7,004 | 197 | #1,096 |
| 2023 | 13 | #8,155 | 174 | #1,179 |
| 2022 | 23 | #5,503 | 182 | #1,144 |
| 2021 | 13 | #8,133 | 221 | #991 |
| 2020 | 11 | #9,079 | 245 | #910 |
| 2019 | 10 | #9,894 | 244 | #900 |
| 2018 | 9 | #10,758 | 242 | #894 |
| 2017 | 15 | #7,538 | 301 | #778 |
| 2016 | 14 | #8,087 | 320 | #760 |
| 2015 | 11 | #9,631 | 341 | #723 |
| 2014 | 10 | #10,310 | 357 | #696 |
| 2013 | 13 | #8,702 | 377 | #648 |
| 2012 | 13 | #8,743 | 373 | #641 |
| 2011 | 15 | #7,887 | 362 | #650 |
| 2010 | 18 | #6,980 | 438 | #578 |
| 2009 | 15 | #8,153 | 544 | #499 |
| 2008 | 22 | #6,178 | 608 | #457 |
| 2007 | 22 | #6,152 | 706 | #416 |
| 2006 | 19 | #6,646 | 653 | #429 |
| 2005 | 18 | #6,599 | 773 | #373 |
| 2004 | 15 | #7,482 | 817 | #349 |
| 2003 | 25 | #4,975 | 924 | #320 |
| 2002 | 30 | #4,205 | 1,119 | #275 |
| 2001 | 33 | #3,883 | 1,263 | #260 |
| 2000 | 35 | #3,682 | 1,496 | #227 |
| 1995 | 100 | #1,532 | 3,010 | #123 |
| 1990 | 192 | #971 | 5,765 | #67 |
| 1985 | 184 | #872 | 3,868 | #81 |
| 1980 | 213 | #772 | 3,556 | #83 |
| 1975 | 222 | #675 | 2,573 | #99 |
| 1970 | 103 | #1,135 | 1,762 | #164 |
| 1965 | 41 | #1,774 | 450 | #361 |
| 1960 | 70 | #1,314 | 353 | #427 |
| 1955 | 37 | #1,699 | 209 | #508 |
| 1950 | 15 | #2,680 | 46 | #1,038 |
| 1945 | 8 | #3,442 | 31 | #1,187 |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Cory
- Cory Monteith Actor · 1982–2013
- Cory Booker Politician · b. 1969
- Cory Michael Smith Actor · b. 1986
- Cory Doctorow Writer · b. 1971
- Cory Higgins Basketball player · b. 1989
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Cory mean?
A male given name transferred from the surname, variant of Corey.
How popular is the name Cory in 2025?
Cory ranked #1,245 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 160 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Cory?
133,778 babies have been named Cory in the United States since 1924, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Cory most popular?
Cory peaked in 1989, when 6,660 newborns received the name.
Is Cory a boy or girl name?
Cory is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 95% of babies with the name.
Is the name Cory rising or falling?
Cory is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Cory?
Well-known people named Cory include Cory Monteith (actor), Cory Booker (politician), Cory Michael Smith (actor).